Motorists urged to use caution during deer season

FREEPORT — Despite a decline seen last year in the number of road crashes involving deer, local law enforcement is still urging drivers to use extra caution this time of year.

“This time of year with the rut and crops coming out, we see a higher occurrence of car and deer crashes,” said Illinois State Police District 16 Master Sergeant Carl Heintz. “My advice would be to maintain vehicles within speed limits especially at dusk and if people do see deer in their path, to stay in a straight line. If they’re going to brake, swerving can end up causing more problems.”

According to Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois Department of Natural Resources, statistics, motor vehicle crashes involving deer were responsible for just four deaths statewide in 2012, a decrease from six fatalities in 2011. Injuries resulting from car-versus-deer crashes also decreased from 613 in 2011 to 608 in 2012 throughout the state. And the number of total deer and motor vehicle crashes decreased to 15,489 in 2012, compared to 18,044 in 2011.

District 16, which contains Stephenson, Jo Daviess, Winnebago and Boone Counties, had 41 deer incidents in 2012 and 43 in 2011. Numbers for 2013 so far were unavailable.

“It seems like mid-fall through early winter is when you see the most problems through my experience,” said Stephenson County Sheriff’s Investigator James Norton.

Heintz suggested drivers use the most caution at dusk and dawn and to slow down and be prepared to stop where deer are known to be active.

“It’s often a knee-jerk reaction,” Heintz said. “But deviating from your path rather than slowing down will cause you to, more times than not, hit a fixed object rather than the deer.”

He added that all crashes resulting in damage of at least $1,500 must be reported to police and that people should not attempt to remove a dead or injured deer from the roadway. He advised people to contact the Illinois State Police or their local law enforcement agency regardless of whether or not they plan to keep the deer.

“Be aware that deer are more active this time of the year with combines out and hunters,” Norton said. “People need to pay attention and always be aware because we have car-deer crashes all year, there are just more this time of year.”